As the arid fist of the drought grips tighter, there's at least one soft spot for people who hate washing their cars. It's now politically correct to have a dirty automobile. But if you are among those who can't bear to hit the road in a vehicle spattered with bird poop and road gradeau, there is a way to be water-wise and still shine on the highway.

Enter waterless car wash products. They're environmentally safe, and, if used correctly, actually clean your car without damaging the finish.  They're a good way to save a lot of water, since hand washing your car in the driveway will probably eat up between 80-150 gallons of precious resource. 

You'll need two things to get your car gleaming sans H2O. First, a waterless wash product. This is a spray that contains a lubricating agent. It acts to encapsulate the crud on the surface of your vehicle. There are a variety of spray washes available, but we like one made by Griot's Garage.  A 35 ounce bottle costs under $20 and will give you 8-10 washes.

You'll also need a batch of microfiber cloths to remove the dirt.  In combination with the spray, these work to lift the grime without scratching the surface.  You'll need a few of them to complete the wash job. Don't skimp and use rags or old t-shirts.  The design of the microfiber cloth is critical to the success of this method.

Spray some product on a small section of the car (or on a microfiber cloth if you prefer) and much like waxing, clean each little area, and then move on to the next. You might use one cloth to remove the dirt (and don't press too hard, a gentle wiping is best) and a second to buff it to a shine. Turn the cloths frequently and when they get wet or dirty, pull out a new one.

The whole thing can easily be done in a half hour or less, although waterless is probably not the way to go if your car is really, really dirty. Run it through a commercial car wash, then give it the waterless once-over every week or two. You'll be sparkling, water smart and guilt free.

Susan Carpenter is auto and motorcycle critic for the OC Register. She joins us on Take Two each Thursday for The Wheel Thing.